Author reported on one group's reaction to the BBC adult literacy pilot programme. (Editor/RK)

The interim report outlines the evaluation of the program, defines functional literacy, and discusses the effectiveness of functional literacy work, costs, and conclusions. The most successful results were from programs that promoted effective literacy, introduced vocational and job skill training, encouraged logical thinking, and utilized…

Acknowledging that while it is difficult to suggest specific instructional strategies for accommodating differing adult beginning readers' (ABR) psychosocial behavior, this paper offers appropriate instructional principles based on the educational and social needs of the ABR. The principles presented are as follows: (1) teachers should help adults…

Society expects certain levels of literacy from its citizens. In addition, individuals have expectations for their own levels of literacy. In defining functional literacy, there is considerable disagreement over what can be expected of consumers, employees, and taxpayers. Empirical studies in Sweden attempting to establish criteria of functional…

THE INITIAL PHASE IS TO SEEK THE SYNTACTIC PATTERNS MOST COMMONLY USED IN THE SUBJECTS' VERBAL COMMUNICATION. THESE COMMON PATTERNS ARE REFERRED TO AS STRUCTURAL VOCABULARY. ONCE LEARNED, THESE WORDS PROVIDE SYNTACTIC SUPPORT TO AID THE STUDENT IN THE RECOGNITION OF OTHER WORDS WITHIN SENTENCE ORDER. ADULTS NEED IMMEDIATE CONFIRMATION OF THEIR…

After reiterating the findings of an earlier examination of job literacy, this paper discusses the results of a job literacy survey involving interviews with 107 individuals representing 100 occupations ranging from short-order cooks and assembly-line workers to lawyers and corporation vice-presidents. Other aspects of the research findings…

In a three-year project which began in 1965, the Cleveland Public Library established three Reading Centers for functionally illiterate adults. The purpose of the Centers was not to teach reading, but to develop already existent reading skills in disadvantaged adults. The staffing process, the establishment of the Centers, the attempts to identify…

The first section of this paper reports the results of numerous literacy studies in which adults were tested on a variety of tasks, including filling out forms, answering questions about newspaper classified advertisements, and dealing with certain facets of consumer economics. The percentage of adults in the United States reported to be literate…

In the course of his work and travels in the Third World and as a result of his studies in the philosophy of education, the author of this book evolved a theory for the education of illiterates, especially adults, based on the conviction that every human being, no matter how "ignorant" or submerged in the "culture of silence," is capable of…

Describes an experimental system which uses pictorial representation for labeling prescribed medicines in the United Kingdom. Since the pictorial approach breaks the language barrier, the labels should present no problems either to illiterates or minority groups who have difficulty in understanding English. (JEG)

Describes how the work of modern poets can expand adult learners' views of the uses of reading and writing and their own ability and specifically shows how the works of Carl Sandburg, Lucille Clifton, William Carlos Williams, and Langston Hughes can be used to teach adults to read. (SRT)

Describes the Soviet Union's success in eradicating illiteracy and the role that adult education made in that effort. Elimination of illiteracy began in 1919 and was achieved by 1959, when 99.3 percent of males and 97.3 percent of females between the ages of 9 and 49 were literate. (JOW)

Argues that literacy has indirect cognitive effects through the conceptual distinctions and social practices that it fosters. Examines the distinction between what is given in a text and what is inferred by readers. Argues that children's acquisition of this distinction is decisive in the development of a literary thought mode. (JD)

Encourages use of the newspaper to remediate skills in older nonreaders. Proposes teaching essential reading skills concomitant with basic voting procedures so that nonreading adults will be able to function in society and describes seven activities requiring use of critical, literal and inferential skills. (JK)

Reviews Jonathan Kozol's book, "Illiterate America." Asserts that Kozol's argument is insensitive to cultural variation and stems from an unquestioning commitment to humanism. Argues that conventional definitions of "literacy" have tended to be more closely related to particular social structures and values than to cognitive development and…